Boz, Texas, Ellis County ghost town, and the supercollider project. (original) (raw)
| History in a big empty supercollider tunnel:Boz was settled in the late 1880s or early 1890s and it held its own post office from 1891 to 1906. Boz had been a school and church community for local farmers until the school closed in 1943. The surviving Bethel Methodist Church was a set for scenes in the 1984 movie Places in the Heart. The setting was the Great Depression when Boz' real life population was a mere 75. | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
Boz' existence was threatened when the area was chosen for the supercollider project. Who in Texas can forget the superconducting supercollider and the economic boom that would change North Texas forever? (Answer: Most of Us).
By 1990 there were still fifteen Bozites, or Bozinians but fourteen of those left, leaving only 84-year old Monnie Bratcher to face the supercollider alone. In the end, Monnie won when the collider project was deemed too costly and was canceled.
Somewhere there's a reporter who wrote a "Sunday supplement" piece about Monnie Bratcher. If that is you - or if you have information, photos or memories of Boz, Texas, or if you know of a use for a big empty tunnel with a lot of rusting equipment, please contact us.
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Boz, Texas Forum
Subject: Waxahachie SuperCollider
I am a 17 year old resident of Waxahachie. I have lived here all my life and have known about the Supercollider since it was built -- and cancelled. There have been many 'town rumors' about what exactly the supercollider will be eventually used for. ... The Supercollider (with the big tunnels, etc.) is now being very seriously considered as a potential prison. They will use the tunnels and build surrounding walls and buildings to complete the prison. However, this will make the land [by the supercollider] worthless.
There has already been a protest at the courthouse in the historic downtown Waxahachie. I do not know whether the supercollider will be turned into a prison but I think the source is reliable.
By the way, the tunnels, now, are filled with water to prevent anyone entering them, and if the prison is built, there will be one road in/out.
I was browsing the internet and I happened to come across your website, [and] I thought you might find it interesting to know that the project that would have changed Texas is now rumoured to turn into ANOTHER prison -- talk about recycling.
Your website was very informative, I never knew the road Buena Vista was once a town! hahaha. Thank you. - J. Hallabough, January 03, 2004
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